


Vignette--Ball

by wheel_pen



Series: Viridian Mal [15]
Category: Star Trek: Enterprise
Genre: Alternate Universe, Fish out of Water, Gen, Imprinting
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-04-15
Updated: 2013-04-15
Packaged: 2017-12-08 14:30:32
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 612
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/762409
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/wheel_pen/pseuds/wheel_pen
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Trip builds a remote-control ball for Mal to chase.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Vignette--Ball

**Author's Note:**

> 1\. Viridians appear human, but are actually aliens who imprint on other people (Viridian or otherwise) and form a bond with them. They also live their entire life cycle in about six Earth years.
> 
> 2\. In each series, a different character is a Viridian, who was raised by mean Klingons on an outpost. An Enterprise crewmember is captured by the Klingons and they inadvertently form a bond with the Viridian, who helps them escape. Then they return to rescue the Viridian and bring them aboard the Enterprise. The Viridian homeworld is contacted and the Enterprise crew learn the Viridian will most likely die if they are sent away. So they end up staying on the Enterprise, and the crewmember has to adjust.
> 
> 3\. The bad words are censored. That’s just how I do things.
> 
> I hope you enjoy this AU. I own nothing and appreciate the chance to play in this universe.

            Mal was on his way back from returning a repaired phase coupler to the Armory when he saw it. It wasn't very shiny or bright, just with a bit of sheen to it, but it twitched and wiggled enticingly in a corner of the hallway. Mal glanced around, but no one else seemed to have noticed it, or have anything to do with it. It seemed to be round, but he couldn't get a very good look at it otherwise—it started rolling away when he came near. It wobbled around a corner and Mal followed it, intrigued. It seemed to be playing with him, almost—it stayed still until he was just about to snatch it up, and then it jerked away, farther down the hall. Mal looked at the small object curiously, intent upon catching it.

            As if sensing his thoughts the little ball started moving faster, until Mal was running to catch up with it. The ball propelled itself over barriers, swerved around approaching crewmembers, and spun wildly around corners. Mal followed it doggedly, eyes nowhere but on his quarry. He tried not to deliberately knock into people, but there might possibly have been a few shouts of protest as he ran by—he wasn't really paying attention. He just wanted to catch the little ball. He wanted to catch the little ball and give it to Trip.

            The little ball rolled even faster, almost too fast for Mal to keep up with it. He increased his speed, bounding down the hallways, grabbing the walls as he swung around the corners, hurtling over one crewman who knelt in the hallway repairing a panel, turning just in time to dodge a group of others. Suddenly, a more difficult obstacle appeared: two crewmembers hefting a sizable piece of equipment between them. The ball rolled smoothly between them, unseen, but Mal suspected they would notice and react badly if he tried to follow the same path. So instead he jumped, bouncing feet-first off an outcropping in the wall, springing around the startled crewmembers, and touching down behind them just briefly before he was off again.

            He was so close… he almost had it… The little ball paused at a doorway—to Engineering, he noted dimly—then hopped through it nimbly. Mal bobbed and weaved around the crew and equipment, and finally he saw the little ball start to slow down.

            _Aha, little ball, I'm going to get you now!_ Mal thought triumphantly, making a calculated dive across the floor.

            The little ball sped up just when he was mid-air and Mal flopped down to the deck, fingers barely grazing the ball as it rushed beyond his grasp. And was stopped by a boot. Mal stared upward into Trip's grinning face.

            "So, I guess that was fun, huh?" he commented, taking in Mal's unusually disheveled and breathless figure.

            Mal frowned, confused. "Did _you_ make the little ball roll?" he asked, climbing to his feet, panting slightly.

            With great satisfaction Trip picked up a rather complicated-looking device from a nearby surface, flicked a few buttons, and gave the joystick a push. The little ball started rolling across the floor again and Mal lunged for it.

            "Whoa, whoa, whoa there," Trip smirked, stopping him and scooping up the ball. "I think that's enough excitement for one day."

            "Oh, but it's so much fun!" Mal enthused. "You're _so_ smart, Trip!"

            Trip accepted the compliment modestly. "Oh, it was nothing, I just—" Suddenly the door to Engineering opened, admitting a frowning Archer and T'Pol—both of whom gave Trip dark looks when they saw him holding the controller and the ball. The engineer's expression fell. "Uh‑oh."


End file.
